Final to Finest
by StarLightSeraph
Summary: "We are an army of the chosen dead." We all know how our Ghost found us, dead and lost among the thousands of corpses. But what happened before the darkness first consumed us? This is just but one answer. Oneshot


Final to Finest

**A/N: **_I finished with the main story a last week and just thinking over how the Guardian was found among the dead and just how many dead there are after the Collapse. Made me wonder how was the Guardian's final hour went? What did they see? This is my answer._

The Cosmodrome was place of hope and excitement. That was what my father had told me and I could see why. The whole area was bustling with activity. Shuttles prepared for Mars, Venus, and even the Moon were sitting ready on launching towers while large planes rolled onto tarmacs with more passengers. I would say good majorities were colony ships but a few military vessels stood ready. After all, we had been warned before that we weren't the only sentient beings in the universe.

The Traveler was the proof of that.

Standing like a beacon shining brighter than our own Moon and giving humanity so much than we could ever ask for, it only seemed right to spread among the stars, spread it's Light. Why, there were even talks of people colonizing the asteroid belt just beyond Mars. A good idea, since the next viable planets for easy colonization were past Saturn.

That was why I was here with my family. We were ready to go on a colony ship headed for a new world, a new planet. My father, mother, siblings and even cousins and close friends, all ready to leave Earth behind for another world.

But it would not be forever, Earth was home after all.

"_That's our ship."_

"_Impressive. And that one over there?"_

"_The over by the refinery? Set for Mars…Light only knows how they can survive the Red Deserts of Mars."_

"_I'd rather have the tropics of Venus any day."_

Suddenly, the movement grew quicker and even in these cramped areas of steel and iron, everyone noticed a shift in mood. A few Cosmonauts rushed past, rifles heavy as they spoke through their helmets. Murmurs of excitement turned into quiet observation with only a child's anxiety at either the only sounds remaining.

"_What's going on?"_

"_Not sure, honey. Wrong flight, perhaps?"_

Little squabbles of who went where normal but something about the way the soldiers walked was made me reconsider my mother's words. Plus, some of the younger, more inexperienced were pacing while reloading. Why, it was like they were expecting an attack…

"_Oh my gods!"_

"_The Yggdrasil!"_

Moving from our place in line, we saw the colony ship marked for Titan suddenly catch fire and explode…the entire tower falling with it. An accident? Perhaps a raid from some overconfident Hunters? No…some strange ship was near it. Hovering, it looked like a red beetle with a long shell, red eyes searching. And it wasn't the only one.

"_What the hell is that?!"_

"_Who cares!? It's attacking the ships, run!"_

I didn't have to be told twice. Grabbing my siblings hand and that of my fathers who grabbed my mother's, we formed a link and raced out alongside the other colonists. Horrible sounds of fear and destruction echoed across the Cosmosdrome. Bullets causing recoil echoes made me deaf as we ran across the tarmacs and through builds that should have been off limits. We made it out of the base only for something to drop down on top of us.

An orbital ship, meant for recon dropped through the roof but its side prevented it from falling completely. It was the roof debris that crushed the people in front of us-and also broke our linked hands.

"_Father!"_

"_Mommy!"_

"_Just take care of them! You're the eldest, head for the car park and wait for us!"_

"_Y-Yes, come on!"_

I had no time to convince my flesh and blood to move as our father went back for our mother. The dust was thick and fire blazed from the crashed ship. We rushed through a doorway with a few others, keeping our wrists tightly gripped by our fingers. Jumping down stairs, cutting through more rooms, I glanced through the windows and saw more of those strange ships and…

"_Bombs! Get down!"_

We had only reached the exit when we were all told to get down, just as a massive green spire hit just to the east of us. Its impact shattered a few more buildings next to it and sent a wave of dust. Nothing exploded so I quickly got my sibling up and rushed up, calling to the other colonists to run as well.

"_I'm scared!"_

"_Just keep running!"_

I didn't dare look back, not even with one of those strange bug like looking ships bearing down on us. There was a small field between us and the parking lot. We could make it. Even though my chest burned and my legs felt like lead, we had to run. We could make it.

Suddenly, a scream behind us tore my eyes from salvation into a nightmare.

A creature, made of more machines than flesh with a human form but unhuman eyes and two more arms, wielding strange weapons and blades, they cut down a few of the colonists like one would swat bugs. But this time, the role was reversed and this devil was doing it to us. It roared out, as if challenging or perhaps gloating at our easy demise.

"_What is that?! Oh gods-"_

"_Don't kill me! Please!"_

I pulled my sibling again, racing down the stretch. The overpass between the two buildings already had soldiers lined up, proving covering fire for all of us who ran. Two soldiers were shot by the blue lights and they fell right in front of us. Though I knew they were scared, I grabbed the rifle he once carried and quickly began shooting, spraying and praying more than likely.

"_They're coming-"_

"_Just grab my shirt and hold on, keep running!"_

The weight at my back was good but we needed more than that to get away. The soldiers were buying us time. Hopefully more warriors would come and they could stop this disaster.

We went through the building, reaching a large storage room area. Boxes loaded with munitions for the colony ships. I knew we were close…

"_Where's Mommy and Daddy!"_

"_Daddy went to get back Mommy! We need to get-"_

"_AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"_

The weight from my back was three times heavier and then it was gone. I had fallen ten feet away as it felt like something hit us. I got up and grabbed my sibling's hand…finding it severed just below the wrist.

Blood dripped from fingers but more blood dripped from that devil. His static blades cut up my own flesh and blood and left dying screams echoing. I stood up as the devil roared and I couldn't tell you if it was out of fear or rage, I screamed back. I screamed a hellish cry and hoisted the rifle up.

Its legs moved it forward, trying to slice me to bits. I could only roll to the side and keep shooting. I had to survive! This thing-this devil would pay for killing them! That is what fueled me: survival and revenge.

The devil got in close and slashed but with the last pull of the trigger, it felt defeat as the very head seemed to explode in darkness and violet haze. It fell to the ground in front of me and that was when I saw its blades go dark, same with the one embedded in my chest. Shock and adrenalin worked together to lessen the pain but didn't stop the roars and snarls of oncoming devils…

I had to leave the body behind and I ran, tearing the blade out and pressing my hand against the wound. I had to keep going, through and the hallways, across the catwalk and through more steel traps. I would live-I'd survive and kill all those devils-

I tripped, something hit my leg and it burned. The rifle went off into the darkness and I saw from afar on another catwalk a Devil. It has used its gun to shoot me, to wound me like a deer in the woods. It shot a few more times and I scrambled to get up-to run away as much as I could.

Finally, reaching the end and daylight, I felt my hopes both fall and rise.

The parking lot was on fire, it was a mess, and more fires spread across the Russian landscape and ships of red and green clashing with silver and gold made the sky turn red. But beyond the smoke and flames, a sphere of white, glowing brightly off the horizon shined as I ran to the edge of the lot to see it clearly.

"_The Traveler…"_

I beheld the Traveler's Light before, all of humanity had, but the danger around me let itself be known again. It returned with two shots at my back, burning sensations rushing through my spine and aggravating the wound on my chest. I felt pain, gooey wetness growing from every impact, every shot as they tried to bring me down. It hurt but…

I collapsed down onto the ground, right beside a vehicle, looking above to see a Devil cackling above me. It had caught me, I was done for…I wouldn't be able to get vengeance…I wouldn't be able to see the world beyond Earth…I wouldn't be able to see my family again…

Death seemed very close and dear to me now.

Before the Devil finished me off, I looked towards the Traveler, hoping it's Light would sooth my passage into the beyond. But it's pulsing seemed to catch the attention fo the Devil. How I wish I had enough strength to take this opportunity to take it with me in the end…but I didn't.

The Traveler pulsed with a dangerous Light and the pulse blasted across the land, the Devil getting tossed over me. It was as if the Traveler saved me from an even painful death. The dimming glow was the last thing I saw before darkness consumed me…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

"_Is it possible?" _

…

"_There you are!"_

Another flash made my eyes open and my lungs to take in a breath of cold, fresh air. It felt like it was burning or like one was forcing air into a collapse balloon. Even though I jumped, the recoil hurt and felt like muscles stretched for the first time in centuries. I even wanted to hurl as I stood up but all I got was spit from a dry mouth.

"_Guardian…Guardian? Eyes up, Guardian!"_

Following this new voice, I lifted my eyes and saw a strange polygonal floating machine with a single blue eye. Its casing and glow reminded me of my last view alive. How…I was-

"_It worked…You're alive!"_

My vision cleared and so did the haze in my brain. Yes, I was…dead. How long-

"_You have no idea how long I've been looking for you!"_

Don't you have all the answers, little-

"_I'm a Ghost. Actually, now I'm your Ghost. And you…well, you've been dead for a long time. So, you're going see a lot of things you won't understand."_

The rusted cars, the ruined landscape of…the Cosmodrome? How long, must have been long…and he called me a Guardian? What happened here-the attack. That…invasion? I didn't understand but I remembered…

Just picking up my hands and flexing them, now in some kind of new armor, was a struggle but it was easier to understand my own body than it was to understand this Ghost that now claimed it was mine and it had been looking for me…

_A roaring sound…_

The Ghost looked to the left and I knew that roar. It came from those creatures…the ones who invaded…They were still here-

"_This is Fallen Territory. We aren't safe here. I have to get you to the City…"_

The Ghost floated around, as if thinking to itself.

"_Hold still!"_

It disintegrated before my eyes but before I could call it out, it spoke.

"_Don't worry, I'm still with you. We need to move, fast."_

This felt…very familiar. Moving quickly, running to survive, yes…this did happen before. But there were more people, more screams, what happened to them? The stripped skeletons inside the rusted cars told me that much. I wonder…

"_We won't survive long out in open like this. Let's get inside the Wall."_

Good advice I would say and like it said I wouldn't understand anything yet.

I broke into a somewhat limp run, gathering my bearings only to stop just as a flock of crows flew away. I had to quicken my pace though; I had to leave the bodies behind…bodies.

I moved into the Wall, heading inside the rusted walls and darkened red rooms. They used to be silver and clean. The lights were half powered by circuits that somehow managed to survive like I had. How many others survived…that?

"_Ok…I need to find you a weapon before the Fallen find us."_

The Ghost's voice startled me but I would have to get used to it. I just continued on across a shaded catwalk and into a darkened area-

"_Quiet. They're right above us."_

The Ghost appeared right beside me and I slowed down my steps. If those creatures were still here and right above us, I had to keep as quiet as possible. I wouldn't die…again. I slowly walked up some stairs and into a large area that was completely dark. My Ghost floated away from me and I felt cold without it's Light.

"_Hang tight. Fallen thrive in the dark, we won't. We need more light. I'll see what I can do."_

It floated away, it's only signature was being a blue light before fading into the darkness-what was that?! Something crawling up a red canister-

"_Another one of these hardened military systems…a few centuries of entropy working against me."_

Centuries? I had been dead for centuries? This all happened…centuries ago?

Then the lights came on.

With the Darkness lifted, I saw those horrible creatures, white and red with one extra pair of limbs allowing them to crawl like bugs on the large red pipes. Crawling like some kind of horrible infestation. And with the lights on, one thing was clear.

"_They're coming for us!"_

While some moved out of sight, I saw more rush across a catwalk. Their single file line and their forms made me pause. I had seen them before. Before…when I died and-

"_Here, I found a rifle! Grab it."_

Rifle?

My Ghost floated back to me and shined its light down on a rifle leaning against a crate but the second I picked it up, the ancient weapon sparked memories and horrid understanding.

"_I hope you know how to use that thing."_

I knew more than that.

I used this rifle before I died. I was shot and forced to abandon it by those…Fallen. These same Fallen attacked the Cosmosdrome, where I had been waiting with my family for a colony ship. My family…my younger sibling-

These Fallen killed us! Killed me-killed my sibling-my family! My sister was killed on my watch…All of us for no damn good reason. Well they made a terrible mistake…

"_Watch for motion on the tracker."_

Red showed right on the edge and it didn't take long to find the source. Two dropped down, one I recognized, and the other I didn't. Didn't matter.

_Pop! Pop! Pop!_

They both met my former fate but they wouldn't receive a second chance. No ghost for revenge or endless searching to give another chance at life. They would stay dead and their skeletons, armor, whatever made up these dark creatures become nothing but dust, forgotten in the winds of time.

As for me…me and my Ghost, I had a second chance. Vengeance, redemption, adventure, all paths were open so long as I survived. Survival would assure me everything in this unknown but nostalgic place.

Reloading my rifle that was mine before and mine now, I continued forward.

My Destiny was dead ahead.

_There we go. I used the same script from the game and didn't go too far for spoilers and it just felt right to end it here. Whatever story you have for your Guardian is your own. Variation is the whole point of this awesome game but this was my version, just a thought to share with the world._

_So without further ado, see you Guardians starside. _


End file.
